ABOUT THE
Vergilius Chamber Orchestra
Conductor
Musicians
Our mission is to present new music by current composers and modern classical works like Schoenberg’s 12 tone compositions in Oklahoma City.
A chamber orchestra has approximately 25 members that usually plays with strings and performs in intimate venues. The name is derived from small orchestras playing in the royal chambers. A symphony orchestra, on the other hand, is made up of many musicians—up to 100 people—and is designed specifically to perform symphonies in concert halls.
Photograph by Di Harvell.
Executive Director | Joseph Messick
Joseph Messick, M.M. & M.A., is a dedicated non-profit professional serving as Executive Director and chairperson of the board of directors. His experience ranges from finance, fundraising, and orchestral organization, as well as a touring musician.
Born and raised in Oklahoma City, Joseph spent his formative years at Casady School, excelling in their music program on the violin as concertmaster, graduating in 2015. Joseph continued to pursue his musical education by getting his Bachelor of the Music Arts – Viola at DePauw School of Music in Greencastle, Indiana. Upon graduating with the class of 2019, Joseph returned home to Oklahoma City, where he took a job as an orchestra assistant at Edmond Memorial High School as well as teaching viola for the Alegria and Esperanza classes at El Sistema Oklahoma. He then joined Mariachi Orgullo de América as a performing mariachi violinist, which he continues today. He also serves as assistant principal viola with the Oklahoma Chamber Symphony.
Joseph started graduate school at Oklahoma City University, earning his Master in Music – Viola Performance and Master of Arts – Nonprofit Leadership (Arts Administration) from the Wanda Bass School of Music and the Petree College of Arts and Sciences, respectively, graduating with both classes of 2022. Halfway through both his master’s programs, Joseph was recruited for a position as a Research & Development Associate at Allied Arts Oklahoma in 2021. He was promoted to Finance Associate in 2022.
VCO Chief Financial Officer | Eddy Hrdlicka
Eddy Hrdlicka, M.B.A., is a versatile professional serving as CFO and a board member for VCO while also emceeing its concerts. He has expertise in teaching, broadcasting, telecommunications, and real estate.
A product of Putnam City’s Fine Arts programs, Eddy was part of the 1993-94 Putnam City High School Orchestra that achieved top national contest marks and earned a Superior Rating from OSSAA. The repertoire that year included The Planets by Gustav Holst, which required his euphonium contributions. He played baritone horn in marching band and euphonium in concert band, with the combined band category also earning the Superior Rating in the 1993-94 season.
Eddy has been a secondary school educator since 2015, with a hiatus to teach at Beijing Normal University from 2016-2020. Recognized as a Top Foreign Expert Teacher in 2018, he now holds a Master of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from the University of Oklahoma. Eddy has also excelled as a sports play-by-play broadcaster for Oklahoma City University since 2013. While previously licensed in real estate, he co-facilitated the transaction that led new ownership to transform the former Bob Wood’s Music in Del City into Castle Row Studios.
Photograph by Di Harvell.
Artistic Director | Dr. Shaohong Yuan
Dr. Yuan serves as the Artistic Director of the Vergilius Chamber Orchestra. She Is also the Vice-President of the American String Teachers Association of Oklahoma. Dr. Shaohong Yuan joined Oklahoma City University in 2019, where she is currently the Assistant Professor of Viola. Prior to OCU, Dr. Yuan was the Adjunct Professor of Viola at the University of Oklahoma and the Adjunct Professor of Violin and Viola at Oklahoma Baptist University.
Dr. Yuan has been invited as a performer, scholar, and clinician in the United State, China, Panama, and Italy. She has performed several times with the Oklahoma Sinfonia String Orchestra. Dr. Yuan performed the Amanda Harberg Viola Concerto with the Oklahoma City University Symphony Orchestra in its premiere performance in Oklahoma.
As a chamber player, Dr. Yuan has performed with organizations such as the Brightmusic Chamber Ensemble and the Tactus Chamber Orchestra. As an orchestra player, she performs regularly with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic Orchestra, the Norman Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Oklahoma Film Orchestra. In addition, Dr. Yuan is often invited to collaborate with the Grammy-winning record producers projects such as the Smoky Valley Chamber Orchestra.
She has held several open lecture-recitals at Renmin University of China, Beijing Normal University, Beijing Normal University Strings Association and the Oklahoma City University Salon Series. Dr. Yuan held an open master class at the invitation of the Beijing Normal University Strings Association.
Dr. Yuan has coached at the Oklahoma and Virginia All-State sectionals, and the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute. She has also taught and coached at the ICT Young Artist Academy in Kansas.
During her time in China, she performed with the Central Opera Theatre Symphony Orchestra, the Chinese Opera Theatre Symphony Orchestra, the Chinese Film Orchestra, and the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra in venues such as the Beijing Bird’s Nest, the National Grand Theatre, the Beijing Concert Hall, and the National Assembly Hall.